The present invention relates to improvements in an ice cream or the like, novelty, product, methods of manufacture of such a product, apparatus useful in the manufacture of any such product and related means and methods.
xe2x80x9cIce Creamxe2x80x9d Fourth Edition by W. S. Arbuckle, (The AVI Publishing Company, Inc., Westport, Conn., USA) in its various editions (the full contents of which are hereby introduced by way of reference) defines terminology in relation to the ice cream and related frozen novelty business as well as disclosing compositions, methods of moulding, handling procedures, freezing procedures, storage procedures, etc.
The present invention is directed to an ice cream novelty but alternatively may include in place of ice cream (as defined in Arbuckle) any other frozen matrix or indeed any other material which is edible at the temperatures required for ice cream type products.
The present invention relates to a product which is an alternative to existing products. Whilst preferred forms hereafter will refer to stick or the like supported forms of such a product that is but one option for the use of the procedures of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide frozen novelties and related means and methods including apparatus for use in such manufacturing as well as the methods of use of such apparatus which will provide the public at least with an alterative to existing products.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9ccorexe2x80x9d can mean either a homogeneous core or a non homogeneous core. It may include preliminary coatings.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cice creamxe2x80x9d includes ice cream as defined in Arbuckle and/or by any New Zealand standards. In addition it includes alternatives to what is strictly ice cream i.e. any edible material that is shape retaining only if maintained in a frozen state by low temperature storage.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cchocolatexe2x80x9d includes chocolate in its common usage or as used in Arbuckle or in any New Zealand standard. In addition it includes any other composition which at a higher temperature as a liquid can form a coating on a substrate and thereafter, on reduction of temperature, set. Typical examples of such other materials include fat and sugar based compositions of that kind. xe2x80x9cChocolatexe2x80x9d therefore may or may not include cocoa or any other chocolate flavouring.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cstickxe2x80x9d includes wooden sticks or any plastic or other form of member capable of supporting a core (e.g. of ice cream) on to which coatings are to be applied by procedures of the present invention. In some forms the term stick may include an edible composition.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cdipxe2x80x9d includes insertion of the material to be coated into a bath (stationery or moving) of the liquid composition to form the coating. In other forms however where the context so allows the term xe2x80x9cdipxe2x80x9d may include any alternative procedures such as spraying.
As used herein the term xe2x80x9cviscous fluidxe2x80x9d includes caramel compositions of the kind hereinafter referred to as well as any other edible composition which at or about normal ice cream storage temperatures has not set to a super cooled liquid or solid form. Examples include, syrups or syrup like compositions and such compositions as betters of edible nuts etc. (e.g. peanut butter).
In a first aspect the present invention consists in an edible novelty that requires storage at below 0xc2x0 C. and which is intended to be eaten prior to its thawing at least in totality, said product comprising, consisting of or including
an edible core that is self supporting as far as its shape is concerned,
a coating of an edible viscous liquid about at least part of said core, and
a set edible layer over at least said viscous liquid layer.
Preferably said viscous liquid is the thixotropic.
Preferably said set layer over said viscous liquid is chocolate as hereinbefore defined irrespective of whether or not it includes any cocoa or other chocolate flavouring. Preferably said set layer does.
Preferably said core is primarily of ice cream.
Preferably said core includes an outer coating (i.e. a couverture layer) on at least part thereof of a chocolate as hereinbefore defined.
Preferably said core is on a stick.
Preferably the outer layer is of a chocolate.
Preferably said viscous fluid is a caramel liquid which at ice cream storage temperatures remains in a fluid form.
Preferably at normal ice cream storage temperatures the viscous fluid has a viscosity substantially as herein discussed with respect to caramel.
Preferably said product is of a form substantially as hereinafter described with reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings.
In some other forms the viscous fluid can be another flavouring, for example, a peanut oil or butter composition. Other flavourings abound. They may even be liqueurs where the law so allows.
Preferably where the item (as is preferred) is a stick supported item the core comprises ice cream with a true chocolate coating. Preferably the chocolate coating fully surrounds the ice cream of the core. Preferably caramel extends about the core but not to the stick in the base of the core. Preferably the outer set layer fully encompasses the caramel and the base of the core not covered in caramel.
In this way the product has sufficient integrity so that progressive eating from the top is less likely to lead to any slumpage of any of the layers relative to the others.
In a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of manufacturing an edible novelty to be stored at below 0xc2x0 C. having,
an edible core on a stick,
an edible coating of a viscous liquid about at least part of said core, and
an edible set layer over at least said viscous liquid layer,
which method comprises, consists of or includes
preparing the core on a stick,
supporting the stick supported core by the stick as it is presented whilst at a core temperature below 0xc2x0 C. into the viscous liquid so as to provide a partial coating of the core, and
thereafter providing an outer coating (e.g. chocolate as hereinbefore defined) coating over the viscous liquid retained on the core and at least part of the or any regions of the core not coated by said viscous liquid.
Preferably said core is provided with a couverture layer, (for example, of chocolate) prior to being associated with said viscous liquid.
Preferably prior to the provision of the outer coating the viscous liquid is hardened, for example, by contact with a cryogenic liquid, e.g. liquid nitrogen.
Preferably the viscous liquid at the time of application to the stick supported core is thixotropic.
Preferably said stick supported core is substantially vertically withdrawn from the bath so as to leave an even laying up of the viscous liquid about the core.
Preferably the bath of viscous liquid is moving in a direction in which the preferably substantially vertically supported stick supported core is also being moved and that direction is preferably substantially transverse to the stick axis (this is notwithstanding the pumping of the liquid or the provision of some fall in the movement of the liquid).
Preferably the movement of the viscous liquid is at a speed identical to or faster than the transverse movement of the stick supported core.
Preferably the viscous liquid not uplifted by the stick supported core is recycled.
Preferably said method is performed at any of the preferred manufacturing parameters hereinafter described.
In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in apparatus to manufacture an edible novelty as previously defined and/or to perform a method as previously defined, said apparatus comprising, consisting of or including a conveyor to serially present stick supported cores of said edible novelty (preferably after the provision of a couverture layer (eg; of chocolate) over the ice cream or other stick supported frozen material),
a weired dipping reservoir for the viscous liquid in to which the serially presented stick held cores are to be presented and move towards and over the weir whilst supported by the conveyor,
a collection reservoir for viscous liquid spilling over the weir,
recycling means to return viscous liquid from the collection reservoir to the weired dipping reservoir, and
viscous liquid feed in means to provide a make-up flow for the viscous liquid into the collection reservoir, the weired dipping reservoir or any recycle flow between the two.
Preferably means is provided to agitate the viscous liquid prior to its delivery into the weired dipping reservoir whether as a fresh feed of the viscous liquid, the recycled flow thereof or a mixture of the two.
Preferably said means to agitate the thixotropic viscous liquid is a device such as a chum and preferably said device is on the recycle route from the collection reservoir to the weired dipping reservoir.
Preferably any in feed of fresh viscous liquid must pass through such device prior to its initial delivery into the weired dipping reservoir.
Preferably the stick held cores are presented into the viscous liquid of the weired dipping reservoir so as to uplift viscous liquid therefrom whilst primarily in a vertically downward extending condition from the stick notwithstanding the fact that optionally the sticked core may be angled into and/or angled out of the viscous liquid under the action of a cam on the conveyor support of the stick thereof.
Preferably the apparatus is as hereinafter described.
In yet a further aspect the present invention consists in, as part of a production line, apparatus substantially as hereinafter described with or without reference to any one or more of the accompanying drawings and/or which includes apparatus as previously defined.